Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S2, which served as its flagship smartphone until the release of Galaxy S3, is getting ready to hit the 30-million mark in total sales worldwide.

The world’s top smartphone maker said recently that it sold more than 28 million units of the Galaxy S2, surpassing its former model Galaxy S’ 24 million units.

“The two figures put together ― about 50 million units ― is twice the size of last year’s smartphone market in the country,” said a Samsung official.

Since rolling out in global markets in April of last year, the gadget has won numerous awards such as the Phone of the Year for the Mobile Choice Consumer Award last October.

At the same event it was also given awards for the categories of best camera phone, best video phone, best Android phone and best media phone, its officials said.

The handset also was named the top smartphone by the U.S. monthly magazine Consumers Reports last November.

The magazine, which reviews consumer products and services, placed the mobile phone at No. 1 for three out of the four major mobile carriers in the U.S., AT&T, Sprint and T-mobile.

The Galaxy S2 was given points for its picture quality, ease of use, messaging and web browsing as well as voice quality, camera and battery life.

The handset also won the Innovations Award in November at the world’s biggest electronics trade show, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and the GSMA Mobile Awards’ Best Smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in February.

The Galaxy S2 is equipped with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and a dual-core processor.

Its display screen size is 14 percent larger than the previous model Galaxy S, once boasted to be the thinnest smartphone in the market with a thickness of 8.49 millimeters.

(sharon@heraldcorp.com)